Baby-comforter.



M. WILSON.

BABY COMFORTER.

APPLICATION FILED Jun/31.1918.

Patented Mar. 25,1919.

/N VE/V TOR UNTTED STATES FATEN T OFFICE.

MARY WILSON, 0F NORTHCOTE, AUCKLAN D, NEW ZEALAND.

BABY-COMFORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed July 31, 1918. Serial No. 247,627.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY WILSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Northcote, Auckland,'New Zealand, have invented a new and Improved Baby-Comforter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a baby comforter and teething device and particularly to a device of the'indicated character made of suitable shape and of a size to be inserted in a childs mouth.

Objects of the invention are to provide a comforter formed of two main separable members adapted to be readily cleaned, whereby to be maintained in a sanitary condition; and to provide a device having a limited degree of resiliency whereby to be effective in cutting teeth without being harsh on the childs gums and at the saine time to have sufficient strength and body to be durable.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a comforter of a character to constitute a' holder for sweetsfsuch as sugar, treacle, or the like, whereby to make the device attractive to the child, or to constitute a means for the self-administering of medicine, the sweets or the medicine being adapted 'to be expressed from the resilient comforter by the act of the child biting on the comforter.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a device of the indicated character 1n which flexible means constitutes at one and the same time a fastener for the separable elements of the comforter and means to secure the same to the child as by hanging it about the childs neck.

The stated objects and others will more clearly appear from the particular description following.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of practical examples of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a childs comforterv embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, part being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a front end view;

Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating a modication, part being broken away;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 7-7, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8, Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a side view of the form of device shown in Figs. 6 to 8;

Fig. 10 is a front end view of said device;

Fig. 11 is a plan view showing a still further modification, part being broken away;

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 12-12, Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a cross section on the line 13-13, Fig. 11;

Fig. 14; is a sectional plan view as indicated by the line 14-1/1, Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a front end view of the form of device shown in Figs. 11 to 14:;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of said device shown in Figs. 11 to 15;

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Figs. 2, 7 and 12, but illustrating a further modification;

Fig. 18 is a cross section on the line 12s- 18, Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a View similar to Fig. 17 but showing a slight modification thereover.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, the device includes a tray 10 and a cover 11 therefor to form jointly an inclosure to constitute a container to receive sweets or a medicine. In this form of the invention lateral slots 12 lead from the interior through the walls of tray 10 and corresponding outlet openings are formed in the cover 11 wherever it overlaps the openings in the tray, there being indicated at 13 outlet openings registering with certain of the openings 12. The cover 11 is flanged there being indicated a rear flange 14, a front flange 15, and side flanges 16, overlapping respective flange portions of the tray. In addition to the lateral openings there may be openings in the top or bottom of the device or both, there being shown openings 17 in the bottom of the tray 10 and in the toio of the cover 11. A vent opening 18 is formed in the device, conveniently in the cover 11 at the top.

In order to fasten the cover and tray together, I provide a strap 19 which extends through registering slots 20, 2l in the tray and cover and is then extended rearwardly a length toform a loop-22 for fastening the` comforter to the child, as for example by passing the loop 22 around the childs neck. On the strap 22 is a slide 23 Which can be slid close to the comforter to cause the strap to tightly hold the tray and cover together. If desired, also, the device may have suitable strengthening means, there being indicated a band or strip 25`Which may be of celluloid or other suitable material, embedded in the flange in the tray. In the reinforce-25 outlet orifices 25a are madek to register with certain orifices in the tray and cover. Also, to effect an interlocked engagement of the tray and cover, the flange o-f the tray at the front may have a bead 29 thereon receivedy in a corresponding groove or depression 30 in the cover.

1n the form shovvn in Figs. 6 to 10, certain features correspond vvith those previously described and Which are therefore given correspondingV reference numerals Which need not be further referred to. In the form shown in Figs. 6 to 7, the cover 11 is held by the tray permanently at one end by a flexible hinge 26 Which may be of ilexible leather, rubber, or a combinationof these materials. The reinforcing element 25a runs, at ,the interior of the tray, around the flange thereof. The 'orifices 12a correspond in the mainvvith those previously referred to and inthe reinforce 25b registering orifices 25c are produced. 1n this form of. the

invention the bead 29 and groove 30. are omitted, though a rear ange 14a andfside flanges la'are advantageously employed.

'In the form shovvn in Figs. 11 and 16, the tray 10b is received in ay cover 11b in the form of an envelop, closed except at the rear end, the latter being open for kthe insertion andremoval of the tray. Registeringoriices 12", 13b are formed in the tray and cover and an additional large opening 13c maybe formedin the rear -end of'the envelop to facilitate thorough cleaning. A reinforce 25d has orifices 25e registering With outlet openings in the tray and cover. `With this form of' tray also, the same may be provided with a handle flange 27 thickened to provide finger-holding beads 28 at the outer end thereof.

Inthe form shovvn in Figs. 17 and 18the device corresponds to a large extent with the form shown in Figs. 1 to 15, there being a bead '293L and corresponding depression 30*` in the tray 10c and cover 11C, respectively, at the front. The flanges 15b, 16b of the cover `do not overlap the orifices 12c of the tray.

The reinforcing band 251 has orifices 215g `registering with the orices 12C.

inthe flange of the tray yand vregiste'ring orifices 25h are formed in the reinforces 251.A

Also, registering orifices 26" are formed in the hinge 26a. y Y

In all the forms of the device the cover or tray, or both, are formed of suitable material adapted to have a limited resiliency. The features of the different modifications may be embodied in` avsuitable oblong,A 'i

round, or other form, to simulate a biscuit or lollypop and any suitable material may be employed suchas rubber, gutta percha,

Celluloid, or ,the like. The device is particularly useful as a soother When the child is teething and in its various vforms its construction is such as to provide a ysomewhat yielding or semi-resilient device Which may be bitten upon by the teeth or gums, or the child Will be induced to suck on thedevice,y

after the manner of consuming a` lollypop,

for extracting the sweet food, confection, or

medicine. y y n I Would state in conclusion that While the illustrated examples constitute practical'em- `-bodiments of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the mechanical details. l

herein illustrated, since manifestly thesamecan be considerably varied Without de#` forming a container ladapted to hold ina-` terial to be fed or administered, said con.` tainer being sufficiently resilientto be partially collapsed and formed with Aoutlet .orin

ices through which thecontents mayV eX-, ude, together With a fastener element passf ingthrough both the cover and trayv and having a form .to lconstitute a means tol secure the comforter on the child.

2. childs comforter including avtray, Tia. separate cover therefor, thetwo jointly 'forin` ing a container adapted to hold material be fed or administered, said container being sufficiently resilient to be partially collapsed 'and formed lwith voutlet orifices through which the'contents may eXude, the tray and'v y cover having at the rear end thereof regis!A teringk openings extending therethrough from topv to bottom, and a flexible-element passing through said elements to fasten the same together, said element being given a looped form to be hung about the child-"s neck.

3. A chil-ds comforter ineludi-n `a tray, a separate cover therefor, thet'vvo jointlyform-y ing a container adapted to hold material tol befed or administered, said container'being sufficiently resilient to be partially collapsed` and formed With outlet orices` through which the contents may exude; together with a reinforce band extending about the tray and formed with outlet orifices registering With the first-mentioned outlet orices.

4f. A childs comforter includin a tray, a separate cover therefor, the two jointly forming a container adapted to hold material to be fed or administered, said container being suiciently resilient to be partially collapsed and formed with outlet orifices through Which the contents may exude; means to hinge the cover to the tray at the front, and means detachably fastening the cover and tray at the rear, said last-mentioned means being formed into a loop to hang the comforter about the'childs neck.

5. A childs comforter constituting a container to hold food, medicine, or other suitable material, and including a tray and a cover therefor, said cover and tray having registering outlet oriices and being sufficiently resilient to be partially collapsed by a child to cause the contents to eXude through said orifice.

6. A childs comforter constituting a container to hold food, medicine, or other suitable material, and including a tray and a cover therefor, said cover and tray having Copies of this patent may he obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

registering outlet orifices and being suiiciently resilient to be partially collapsed by a child to cause the contents to exude through said orifice; together with a reinforce strip extending about the tray and formed with outlet orifices registering with those in the tray and cover.

7 A childs comforter includin a tray, a separate cover therefor, the two jointly forming a container adapted to hold material to be fed or administered, said container bein suiiiciently resilient to be partially collapse and formed with outlet orices through which the contents may exude; together with means to fasten the tray and cover, said fastening means consisting of a bead on the trayy and a corresponding groove on the cover at`the front of the comforter, and a flexible fastener element passing through the tray and cover at the rear, said flexible fastener being looped to hang the comforter about the childs neck.

MARY WILSON.

Witnesses:

ETBnL FRANCES CoUnTNnY, CHARLES G. WINsLoW.

Commissioner of Patents, 

